I've been twitching constantly in my calves for 7 months (literally non stop). I tried a month of acupuncture (1 session per week) recently and it seemed to do nothing although in reality I should have given it longer and I intend to go back and give it a few months more.FYI - My twitching is diagnosed as BFS and in addition I have long term spine issues which have damaged nerves in my left leg and arm (all identified via EMG's and MRI's). I have some left calf atrophy and can't lift my left toes off the ground which sounds nasty but I have strength to push the toes down and can still run 5km in under 30 mins so the weakness is not the type some people here worry about.My acupuncture therapist explained that while acupuncture treatment isn't the cure for twitching it will get the body back on an even keel and that could help reduce symptoms. At worst at least it's a very relaxing therapy (the feeling afterwards is anyway). And definitely a healthy move in the right direction.

There is a controversy related to whether acupuncture is efficient in the very way it is suggested by those who practice it, but it was also shown that it has significant placebo effect which is also known to be a good regulator of certain processes in our body.So at least it would not be harmful (provided proper aseptic rules are adhered)

I have had acupuncture treatments, not for the twitching but for my pain issues. It has not taken away my issues but they have been reduced. So for me I can say accupuncture did help me.Note that as a reaction of your body accupuncture itself can also cause twitching!

I'm a big fan of acupuncture and I've done a bit of research into it since my experience with it. I will say that it is one of the most misunderstood medical practices out there. Even many practitioners who learn how to use it don't really understand how or why it works, they just know the procedures they were trained to do under certain circumstances to treat certain symptoms. Practitioners like this would usually be the least effective in treating a chronic condition such as BFS, but they would be much more effective at simple issues like pain management, which acupuncture is excellent for.

In Chinese Medicine acupuncture is the practice of working with the subtle energy pathways of the body to eliminate energy blockages and get energy flowing properly again. This energy or 'Chi' as the Chinese call it is controversial because I'm not aware of any methods to directly measure it. There have been methods developed to electronically measure and find acupuncture points on the body because at the very locations where the energy pathways meet or split there are measurable differences in the electrical resistance of the skin. Our skin is mostly water and conducts electricity, so you'd think it's conductivity/resistance would be fairly uniform across the surface of our bodies, but studies have found that the conductivity/resistance changes dramatically where acupuncture points are located. That is why products like this work: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KE ... NXBDHF8FA8

So what is this energy and why can't we see it? More importantly, why does it have any influence or impact on our health? And even more mysteriously, how was acupuncture developed thousands of years ago without modern technology to measure and find the acupuncture points? When you start to dig into the details the results are pretty amazing.

Practitioners who truly learn to use acupuncture learn to tune into this energy and they can feel it. This doesn’t sound scientific at all, but it makes much more sense when you start to consider the implications of what this energy truly is. This energy adds a new dynamic to consider when you look to unexplained phenomenon that are accepted parts of our everyday life, such as recognizing the feeling of being stared at across a crowded room or walking into a room and being able to feel the tension of an argument that just took place but you didn’t witness. When you look at the evidence that indicates this energy is very much a part of your mind (separate from brain) and your body, it becomes apparent just how powerfully our attitudes, thoughts, and intentions can influence the physical manifestation of health or illness.

Energy blockages are largely driven by negative emotional experiences and beliefs. Energy blockages also drive physical ailments and dysfunction. It is no wonder that long periods of negative thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs (lots of stress and worry) lead to the manifestation of chronic illness. It’s also no wonder that working on the energy as well as the attitude, thoughts, and beliefs eventually can lead to the easing or even curing of symptoms. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a very physical nature to disease and disorder, and physical action is required once it manifests. What I am saying though is that there is often an energy behind it’s manifestation in the first place and unless that is addressed as well, the true source of the problem remains. It can be very confusing because there are multiple layers at play.

Acupuncture was a powerful tool in my recovery because I had a practitioner that was exceptional at reading and understanding this energy and worked with me to address some key underlying issues. You really don’t need acupuncture in order to heal if you do the right things. Overcoming anxiety and changing the way that you handle it is a very important part at changing the energy. Acupuncture is just a tool that speeds up the process. If you don’t change the way you behave though you’ll just create the same problem for yourself. Even if you use acupuncture to address the underlying energy problems going on, you still need to do work on the physical and emotional levels to fully heal. No matter what the issue if you don’t address it on every level that is affected you won’t have full and complete healing. It just depends on what you have going on.

So, kind of long, but I hope this makes a little sense about acupuncture. Finding the right practitioner is key. Following through and doing all the necessary work is key. Don’t expect miracles overnight. It took a long time for BFS to manifest and it takes a while to address the damage and reverse it. I don’t believe BFS is a permanent condition that people have to live with for the rest of their lives though. I overcame it and believe others can too. Thanks for reading!

If your mind is your own worst enemy, why not make friends with it and turn it into your greatest ally? Mental discipline is achievable and there is help available. Learn what works for you, practice, and change your life for the better.

If I have a hotspot, acupuncture will take it away. I would go more frequently but of course insurance won't cover it. It's worth trying, but keep in mind that you will have to go to more than a couple of sessions to get results. And my doc charges $70 a session. Also, when I went it never completely cured me, but it did make about 50-60% of the twitches go away for a few days.